Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Air Traffic Control Tower

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority has seen marked air traffic growth in recent years, with greater future demands projected, necessitating a new and taller state-of-the-art air traffic control tower (ATCT) meeting all current FAA criteria. Partially funded under the FAA Contract Tower Program, the new ATCT replaces a 1968-vintage tower originally constructed to serve the former Williams Air Force base airfield.

The 194-foot tall ATCT includes a 500-GSF control cab with a 164-feet AGL controller eye level, suitable for eight controller positions. The lower tower shaft portions are unoccupied, accommodating vertical circulation (egress stair tower and elevator) and various mechanical, electrical, communications, fire protection, and NAVAIDS utility risers. The upper tower shaft features a 2-story expanded occupied ring that houses various electronic and computer equipment spaces, a staff breakroom, meeting/training room, air traffic manager office, restrooms, mechanical/electrical and storage spaces. The stair tower is pressurized to facilitate occupant egress while preventing smoke during a fire event. The expanded base building Ground Floor level houses FAA electronic equipment and storage rooms, the main mechanical and electrical service entrances, entry vestibule, elevator lobby and communications demark spaces.

The tower’s seismically resistant 12-sided precast concrete shaft rests on an expanded concrete mat slab in turn mounted atop an augered cast reinforced concrete pile network. Intermediate floor slab and stair construction is also of precast design, with the upper tower expanded ring construction employing steel framing with insulated metal panel cladding and high-performance insulated glazing bands. Civil site work included regrading, paving, and native Arizona sustainable xeriscape landscaping, with a fence-secured site perimeter.